Railway-switch



(No Model.)

J. A. JOHNSON. RAILWAY SWITCH.

No. 431,860. Patented July 1, 1890.

ms NuflRls PETER-'- 120., PNGTO-LlfHO-, wAsmuewN, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ALBERT JOHNSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJAMES S. PIERSON, OF TREMPEALEAU, WVISCONSIN.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,360, dated July1, 1890.

Application filed December 24, 1888. Serial No. 294,463. (No model.)

T at whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN ALBERT JOHNSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at St. Paul, in the county of- Ramsey and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of railway switches known asthree-way split switches, and it consists in the construction,combination, and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter shown anddescribed, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one of the switchescomplete. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View on the line w 0: 0c of Fig.1.Fig. 3 is an enlarged View in section on the line y y of Fig. 2, and ofthe switch-block, illustrating more fully its construction andoperation. Fig. 4 is an end View of the part shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa detached perspective view of one of the head-plates. Figs. 6, 7, and Sare similar views of the intermediate plates, illustrating more fullytheir con- 2 5 struction. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of thebars connecting the points with the switch-levers and by which thepoints are operated.

A A represent the mainline rails at the tail end of the switch, and A Arepresent the main-line rails at the head or point end of the switch,rails A A? A A being placed between the ends of the main-line'rails.

A" A represent the outside switch-rails, 5 which in this form of switchare united to the point end of the main-line rails, as shown at a andof, the main-line rails at the point ends being merely bent to eitherside to secure the necessary curve to run upon the side tracks.

A represents the inner main rail of the left-hand side track, and Arepresents the inner main rail of the right-hand side track or turn-out,and between the ends of these side-track rails and the points a a wherethe rails A A are bent off to the side, are inserted the split rails A AA A formed with their sides I) planed or otherwise cut off to a longtaper or slanting incline, so that when the points 0 c c c are movedover against the rails A A the wheels of the cars may easily run uponthem, as hereinafter shown.

In the drawings the rails are shown in po sition to conduct the carsupon the main line, the switch-rails A A being inward, out of contactwith the other rails and consequently inoperative.

The tapered ends 0 c of the rails A A are connected together by tie-barB, and the ends of the rails A A are similarly connected 6o bya similartie-bar E the two tie-bars provided with arms 13 13 by which they areconnected b v switch-bars B B to cranks D D on a switch-beam or head-tieD as shown, the crank-shafts being provided with weighted levers E E bywhich they may be operated. By throwing the lever E over to theright andthe lever E over to the left, as in the drawings, the rails A A will bethrown to conduct the cars upon the main line, and then by throwing bothlevers over to the left the rail A will be thrown into contact with therail A and the rail A thrown against the rail A to cause the cars to berun upon the left-hand side track, and by throwing the levers over tothe right the rails will be set to conduct the cars upon the righthandside track. In denoting the left and right handtracks the observer issupposed to stand at the switch-stand or head or point and be lookingtoward the tail of the switch.

The ends 0 c c c of the rails A A A A are so thin that when two of thethin ends are together, as they will be when set to run the cars uponeither of the side tracks, the extra thickness at these points will notinterfere with the running of the flanges of the wheels over them. As anadditional precaution, however, the rails A A are formed slightlyshorter than the rails A A so that at the extreme points there will onlybe the thickness of the two points, as in ordinary split rails. Beneaththe ends a c c c of the rails A A A A and also beneath the rails A and Awhere they cross the headtie D plates F F will be secured to the ties byspikes or bolts, as shown. T

On the plates F F outside the rails A A are riveted or otherwisesecurely 'fastened' stop-plates or brace-blocks d d adapted to I00partially enclasp the lower flange or base of the rails A A to preventthem from spreading, and upon each of the other ties G, be neat-h therails A A A A and beneath so much of the rails A A as come opposite therails A A A A are placed plates H, si1nilar to the plates F F, exceptthat they are not so wide. Each of these plates H is provided withbrace-blocks 6, adapted to enclasp the lower flanges of the rails A A toprevent theni from spreading, and each plate will be formed thickerwhere the lower surfaces of the rails A A A A run upon it than the partupon which the lower surfaces of the rails A A rest, so that theuppersurfaces of the rails A A A A will project above the upper surfacesof the rails A A, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the rails A A A A willreceive the weight of the wheels and prevent the friction ofthe doubleflange on worn wheels from striking the main rails.

The rails A A and A A are connected at suitable intervals by tie-bars KK as in all switches of this class, to cause the rails to move inconcert. These connecting-bars K K are above the tics G, and are adaptedto rest in cavities g, formed for them in the plates II, so that thetie-bars will not interfere with the action of the rails, while at thesame time the tie-bars will be supported by the grooves g and held inplace thereby. The bars will not be required upon every tie, but onlyupon about every other one, as shown.

The plates H, which occur where the bars K K are not required, will besupplied with a groove h, into which a plate 7L2, having an upturned end713, will be secured. The up turned ends adapted to be secured againstthe inner surfaces of the webs of the outer rails A A will prevent themfrom being crowded inward. The upper surfaces of these plates 7L2 willnot project above the main surface of the plates 11, so that theirpresence will not interfere with the action of the rails when moved backand forth over them.

The levers E E as before stated, will be weighted, the weights E E beingheavy enough to insure the switch being retained in whatever position itmay be left without furtherfastening; but as a measure of precaution Ihave provided the inner and outer arches E E, between which the leverswork, with coincident holes, through which pins may be insertedto lockthe switches in place, if required. E E as will be observedin Fig. 2,appear as circles, and are capable of being utilized as targets todenote the position of the switches. lVhen the engineer or otheroperator sees the two weights separated, as in Fig; 2, he will know thatthe switch is set for the -main line,and if he sees that the two targetsare eclipsed on the left he will know that the switch is set to conductthe cars to the lefthand turn-out, and if the weights both appear to beturned over to the right, or, in other words, are eclipsed on the right,he will know that the switch is set to conduct the cars into theright-hand turn-out. It

The Weights E E on the levers' will be seen that by mounting the targetsin close proximity, as I have done, the engineer is able to accuratelydetermine at a glance the positions of the switches, for the targets areso close to each other that the foremost will always eclipse the otheron the right or left hand side of the stand, according to whether theright or left hand turn-out is open, and they will only appear as twotargets or separated when the through or main line is open. Thus theengineer simply has to determine whether he sees one or both of thetargets, and Whether, if he sees but one, it appears on the right orleft hand side of the stand, and this also is the case whether theengine is approaching the switch on a curve or on a straight course, asthe targets are arranged so close together that even on very abruptcurves, while they will not, strictly speaking, be totally eclipsed, yetthey will be so nearly so as to afford no opportunity for doubt. Hencethe targets will, for all practical purposes, appear to be completelyeclipsed from any point on the track beyond the switch whenever thelevers are turned in the same direction and at the same angle ofinclination.

By slight modificationsof the gearing the levers may be arranged tooperate a semaphore or lantern for showing different-colored lights.Such aconstruction is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 45 consisting of twoupright bars L L each having its respective upper end forked, as at L Lor other means for securing and supporting the lamp may be supplied. Thebar L has a forked plate L attached to it with its forks pointing towardthe leverE, and the bar L has similar forked plate L with its forkspointing toward the lever E By this means, when the lever E is thrownover toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 3, it will come incontact with the lefthand fork of the plate L and turn the bar Lone-fourth around and cause the lamp upon its upper end to be likewiseturned to expose a different color than before the switch-lever wasmoved, and then when the switch-lever is thrown over to the right againthe other fork of the forked plate will be acted upon and the bar Lturned back again one-fourth a revolution and the lamp again turned,thus exposing the requisite color toward the coming train, according tothe position of the switch-rails. The other lever E acts in the samemanner upon the forked plat-e L and the bar L By this means thepositions of the levers E E and their lamps correspond, so that theswitch may be employed in the night-time as well as in the day-time. The

bars L L will be formed square near the lower ends and embracedby-spring-plates L L 'to hold them in whatever position they may beplaced.

The inner and outer arches E and E are formed of separate pieces andhave corre sponding ribs and grooves m, by which the parts may be easilyunited and the whole connected together by bolts m By this simpleconstruction the different parts may be duplicated and easily puttogether, and by their peculiar form of parts cannot be put together ina wrong position, as there will be but one way in which they can beunited. This feature is also true of the plates F F H. The head-plates IF will be right and left handed, hence cannot be wrongly placed, as theywill only fit where they belong, and the plates II beneath the rails A AA A A A will be likewise adapted only to fit the places they are tooccupy, so that they cannot be placed in the wrong position. Each of theplates will be numbered or otherwise marked, so that their positions canbe easily determined, and the process of laying the switches therebygreatly simplified.

I gain a great advantage in the manner of forming the plates II ofnearly the full width of the ties, as I thereby prevent the platescutting down into the wood of the ties and causing the rails to assumean uneven position. By forming the plates long enough to pass entirelybeneath all of the rails upon each tie I am enabled to spike them firmlyto the ties and attach the stop-plates d d e by riveting, so that therails will be firmly held and prevented from spreading or getting out ofline otherwise. Another advantage of the wide plates is that the spikecan be inserted into the ties at greater distances apart and out of linelengthwise of the ties, so that the different spikes are not held by thesame section of the grain of the wood,thereby greatly increasing theirholding power.

A switch very similar in some respects to the one herein described isalso shown and described in my application, Serial No. 328,127, filedOctober 25, 1889.

Having thus described myinvention, whatI claim as new is.

1. In a three-throw switch, the combination, with the outside rails andthe two sets of shiftable switch-points connected together in pairs soas to move in concert, of two operating-levers connected to theirrespective pairs of switch-points and being pivoted to oscillate to andfrom the track, and a target carried by each lever, said levers beingpivoted so close together that whenever the levers are turned in thesame direction and at the same angle of inclination one of the saidtargets will appear eclipsed by the other from any point on the trackbeyond the switch, substantially as set forth.

2. In athree-throw switch, the combination, with the outside rails, thetwo sets of shiftable switch-points connected together in pairs so as tomove in concert, and a switch-stand, of two upright operating-leversarranged in close proximity and pivoted in the same switchstand on axesextending lengthwise of the track, whereby their relation to one anothermay be readily observed from the train, rods connecting said levers withtheir respective pairs of switch-points, and two semaphores arrangedside by side in a line transverse to the track and adapted to beactuated independently of each other by the movement of said levers,substantially as and for the p11rposes set forth.

3. In a three-throw switch, the combination, with the outside rails andthe two sets of shiftable switch-points connected together in pairs soas to move in concert, of two operatinglevers arranged in closeproximity and pivoted on axes extending lengthwise of the track, wherebytheir relation to one another may be readily observed from the train,rods connecting said levers with their respective pairs ofswitch-points, two semaphores arranged side by side on one side of thetrack and in aline transverse to the track, uprights upon which saidsemaphores are supported, and forked plates L L, secured to saiduprights, respectively, and each plate straddling one of the saidlevers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a three-throw switch, the combination, with the two pairs ofswitch-points, of the outside arches E theinside arch E ,located betweenthe arches E, the switch-levers located one on each side of the insidearch bet-ween it and the outer arches and having cranks D journaled tooscillate transversely of the switch, rods connecting said cranks withtheir respective pairs of switch-points, and targets carried by theupper ends of said levers, sub stantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN ALBERT JOHNSON. Witnesses:

C. N. WooDWARD, H. S. WEBsrnR.

